This time of year, there are grilling tips, burger variations, and ideas on what to serve at a local block party. A few weeks ago, I got in the summery mood by cleaning off my grill in preparation for grilling up some burgers to welcome the coming of summer.
So we went out and bought some traditional sesame seed buns and some premium beef patties from the neighborhood butcher.
Since the toppings make or break a burger, we went all out. We piled on the sharp cheddar, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mustard, mayonnaise, and a pickle spear. But since we were in the mood for a bit of extra care, we hurriedly pickled some red onions and baked some seasoned French fries in the oven.
The answer is right here!
Ingredients:
For the onions:
- 1 red onion (cut 1/4-inch thick)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 dried red chili pepper
- ½ cup of red wine vinegar
- ½ cup of rice vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
For the Fries:
- 3 large russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of paprika
- 1 tablespoon of Adobo seasoning
- 1 teaspoon of Bell’s Seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- extra salt
- Olive oil
Instructions:
For the onion:
- Put everything into a little saucepan and mix it up. Stirring occasionally, bring the pot to a boil for 1-3 minutes.
- After adding the spices, remove the onions from heat and let them remain for 30 minutes to absorb the flavors while cooling to room temperature. However, you can consume them right away if you’re in a hurry. You can use them immediately or prepare them weeks ahead and store them in vinegar until you need them.
Baked seasoned fries:
- The oven needs to be preheated to 450 degrees. Scrub those potatoes well!
- Cut them in half across, and then each half into fries about half an inch thick. Fries should be submerged in cold water as they are chopped.
- Don’t touch the potatoes for at least ten to fifteen minutes.
- While waiting, mix all of the spices in a separate bowl. The potatoes should be drained and then rinsed under cold water. Lay them out on a dry dish towel. Dry thoroughly, then place in a big basin.
- After seasoning, drizzle olive oil over the potatoes and toss to combine. Throw on your coat and go.
- Line a baking sheet with nonstick foil and arrange the fries out in a single layer.
- Put the fries in the oven and bake them for 45-60 minutes, tossing or flipping them every 15 minutes.